finally I took the plunge..

so, I join this awesome and knowledge-full tremolo bass enthusiasts board on 30 May 2011it took about one and half year with all back and forth try to convince myself to put a kahler on my main bass..especially for madmike, ericH, amimbari, for the encouragement, so the kahler 7415 is on it's way to Jakarta, Indonesia

can't wait to get this baby and add it to my bass!please walk with me, what I needed now is a guidance to install it.. I've read the installation guidance ay kahler website, but I need some more simply and "to the point" kind of explanation/guidance

klik the "spoiler"

Spoiler:

the pic was a kahler 7415 template from the website, the bridge was stock, definitely have to countersunk the whole kahler because I want to get the lowest action possible..

so, I join this awesome and knowledge-full tremolo bass enthusiasts board on 30 May 2011it took about one and half year with all back and forth try to convince myself to put a kahler on my main bass..especially for madmike, ericH, amimbari, for the encouragement, so the kahler 7415 is on it's way to Jakarta, Indonesia

this is disaster!! the kahler just arrived but it was the wrong item!!

i ordered a 7415, it supposed to had a 7415-7416 template and wide string spacing (my bass had 19mm string spacing)but the item that sent to me was kahler 7410 template with 5 saddles, i've contact the seller, hope that they can handle this nicely!

okay so now I got some situation here, I had dilemma between what to do about it

if I insist to put kahler 7415 on my Cort RB5 then there's an advantages and disadvantages about it; the RB5 was my go to bass, my main bass, if I still want to put 7415, then I had to sent the wrong item back to the seller, takes more time and cost me even more for import taxes, when the right item was on hands, then I should drill a cavity for kahler which can't be recover, and I was afraid to fail and can not return to its original.

if I compromise and accept the wrong item, I still can use it on my fretless (the pic I posted above), I can install it immediately and learn to use a tremolo bridge (it's gonna be first time for me) the bass itself was much cheaper than my Cort RB5 so if I have to install the kahler then I will not feel reluctantthe kahler itself was more expensive than the fretless bass itself..

First off... i dont know how i would feel about putting a trem on a fretless. I mean, it would work and operate correctly to my understanding. I dont see any reason why it wouldnt. I actually see flat or tapewounds operating in a roller saddle and nut situation better than roundwounds. Disadvantage would be the strings chewing up the fretboard faster as you hold down notes and trem.

Cost of the bass ... i have a used and abused body that isnt worth much that i stole the trem and other parts from for a better bass. Ive sold a few kahlered basses. I have a brand new 7410 sitting, waiting for the next project. Over time, you will have more opportunities to try this again and again. There is no such thing as failures ... just learned experiences.

I participate on a guitar refinishing board like this. Most of the time the advice that is given is, "be patient". We have all found that the more we try to push things along, the more mistakes we make ... so think about it before you settle just to get something done.

... and take those photoshoped images. Draw an intonation line on the existing saddles. Then draw the intonation line on the saddles of where you have the kahler placed. Is it in the same spot? (I think not). In order to get the saddles in the right spot, you may have to move that mm pickup forward.

Shoot.... sorry for answering so late, but I just got back from a trip down to California, and I am still getting my bearings back.

Spyd3r, you wanted the fiver that comes in the sixer frame, right? Yep, looks like they sent you an older fiver. Well OK, the ad wasn't technically misleading, since they did send you a 7415, albeit, an older version of it. But still, that's a total bummer!

Shoot.... sorry for answering so late, but I just got back from a trip down to California, and I am still getting my bearings back.

Spyd3r, you wanted the fiver that comes in the sixer frame, right? Yep, looks like they sent you an older fiver. Well OK, the ad wasn't technically misleading, since they did send you a 7415, albeit, an older version of it. But still, that's a total bummer!

So you really did want the larger version, correct?

Send me a PM when you can.

yup, the ad picture was a 7416 with 5 saddles, that makes 7415 wider spacing..I'll sent the wrong item back to the seller (Arkansas music) after Christmas holiday.

Widen the string slots a bit in the graphite nut so the strings slide freely and dont bind. I have nut files but I usta use old strings. Dont file down as much as file on the sides.

I put a spot of chapstic or lithium grease in the nut slots when I change strings. Eric scribbles some #2 pencil in there (graphite).

Its about eliminating as much friction as possible so the bass returns to in tune after you use the trem. Many I have had return to slightly flat after use no matter what I did. I got in the habit of ending any trem use with a quick tug up on the bar so it would settle sharper and in tune.

Measure from the nut to the 12th fret. Take that length and measure from the 12th fret to where the kahler would be and mark a line. This is where the middle line between the saddles all the way forward and all the way back needs to be for proper intonation. You cant just have the saddles anywhere and expect proper tuning.

Just eyeballing the original bass with bridge vs where you placed the kahler, it looks like the kahler needs to move a bit further back. Its hard to tell from pictures ... you gotta measure.

Your headstock doesnt seem that bad. If your nut has the strings moove freely in the slots, ittl probably be fine. Ive seen worse work. Yes, that other headstock is better but probably not necessary. If you want that neck ... go for it.